Consumers of cosmetic products actively seek out multi-functional, new products which are pleasing to the senses, both on application and in use, and which have innovative, interesting and/or pleasing textures, preferably without any sacrifice to functional performance. For example, for hair care and hair treatment products, one important functional element of such compositions is their ability to condition and style the hair without weighing it down. Many consumers seek hair care products which provide a light feel, are easy to apply, moisturize, and add shine to the hair. The resulting feel and texture of the product during the application process, in addition to the feel of the hair after the application are also important elements of such commodities.
Moreover, under high humidity conditions, hair tends to absorb moisture causing it to be less manageable, which makes it more difficult to shape and style hair. Frizzy hair is particularly prone to problems when exposed to higher humidity. Applying a coating, such as a moisture barrier or a film on the hair is known to help to keep moisture out of the hair allowing for more efficient hair shaping and maintenance of hair shape, even in extreme humidity conditions. In the area of skin care, applying a film or coating on skin which can help keep the skin moisturized and/or protect the skin from extreme weather conditions is highly desirable.
Traditional compositions on the cosmetic market appear in various forms. They can range anywhere from solutions, foams, gels, creams, waxes, mousses, sprays, serums, to aerosols and can impart a variety of levels of care and cosmeticity depending on the state of the hair and skin. However, these conventional cosmetic compositions contain emulsifying systems which may have limitations and may be less appealing to the consumer. For example, the use of silicone compounds in some of these compositions to achieve desirable shine or certain textures and feel may result in other limitations. Such limitations may include sticky or greasy products, irritation on the skin/scalp, a heavy or oily feel to the hair and skin, and the use of high levels of raw materials or additional ingredients to correct for the detrimental effects of other ingredients, leading to a costly product. Therefore, there is still a need to improve currently marketed commodities in order to provide the consumer with innovative formulations that present sensory, functionality and cost-effective perspectives on cosmetic products.
The formulation of hair spray compositions, especially aerosols, is another area where formulation challenges exist. Typically, such products contain at least one volatile organic compound (VOC) in order to impart certain attributes to the hair such as good styling hold. For essentially ecological reasons and governmental regulations in various countries, it is sought or even necessary to reduce the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the composition. To reduce the amount of VOC and to obtain a low-VOC aerosol device, the organic solvents, for instance ethanol and dimethyl ether, are partially replaced with water, and concomitantly, with other compounds such as silicone polymers and film forming polymers, which could pose more formulation challenges. In addition, even at very low to zero VOCs, problems related with moisture sensitivity of fully water-based products have been found to be problematic from the standpoints of moisture sensitivity and eco-toxicity depending on the polymer and regional regulations.
Thus, the ability to shape and/or maintain the shape of hair, and achieve a strong styling hold, good texture and good shine on hair, while providing a clean, natural and light-weight feel to the hair remain as additional areas for improvement, particularly in connection with certain type of polymers such as silicone-based polymers.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a cosmetic composition for use on keratinous substrates, such as skin and hair, which provides good texture and a clean, natural and light-weight feel on the substrates. When the keratinous substrate is hair, it is also an object of the present invention to provide a composition which can impart shape and/or maintain the shape of hair, provide a strong styling hold and good shine to the hair.